Outside pipe cutter



W. Lv CHURCH OUTSIDE PIPE CUTTER File'd Feb.

April` 26, 1932.

4 Sheets-She'et l W. L. CHURCH OUTSIDE PIPE QUTTER April 26, l932.

FiledFeh. 11, 1950 n4 Sheeis-Sheet 2 April 26, 1932.. w. L. CHURCH' UTS IDE?1 PIPE CUTTER Filed Feb. 1]., 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 4 BZ 0 8 7 5 l 2 w w M2M/M33 4 2 zw 2 2 M s z f f f f N f A /r//r/ r/nlmV n f@ L f .4 8 Y www Z Mlm..

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OUTSIDE PIPE CUTTER Filed Feb. 11, 1930 4 she'ts-sheet 4 VTT //4 /35 a? /Z/ Z 5 f3; V M52 Y 25 J ia, ZZ

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ammi/e110 Patented Apr. 26, 1932 WALTER L. CHURCH, VOF HOUSTON, TEXAS OUTSIDE PIPE GUTTER Application filed February 11, 1930. Serial No. 427,662.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in an outside pipe cutter.

One object of the invention is toprovide a pipe cutter of the character described 5 adapted to work over a pipe stuck in a well bore and equipped with cutting blades which may be actuated into cutting vrelation with the stuck pipe and a section thereof severed and therebyfreed to be withdrawn from the l well bore.

Another object of the invention is to provide a pipe cutter of the character described, equipped with means for anchoring the cutter to and sustaining the same on the pipe to be cut, during the cutting operations, and which may readily be released from the stuck pipe and withdrawnwhen desired.

A further feature of the invention is to provide a cutter o f the character described 20 which is of simple structure and may be cheaply and easily manufactured, which is of very sturdy construction and which is very efficient for the purpose intended.

With the above and other objects in view 25 this invention has particular relation to certain novel features of construction, operation and arrangementV of parts an example of which is-given in this specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings where- Figures 1, 2 and 3 show respectively, -upper, intermediate and lower sections, of the complete cutter, shown partly in section, and

in non-cutting position.

Figure 4 shows a cross sectional View talren on the line 4-4 of Figure 1. Y

Figure 5 shows a cross sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 2.

Figure 6 shows a cross sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of Figure 2. y

Figures 7,8 and 9 show, respectively, upper,

intermediate and lower sections of the cutter,

shown partly in section, and in cutting position, and I Figure 10 shows an intermediate section of the cutter, shown partly in section, and in non-pipe-cutting position.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, wherein like numerals of reference designate similar parts in each of the figures, the numeral 1 designates the tubular cutter body which is attached to the lower end of the operating string of pipe 2. This cutter body has a plurality of vertical blade slots 3 therein and in these slots are the cutter blades 4. These blades are pivoted, at their upper ends, in these slots and their lower ends are beveled inwardly, as at 5, and terminate in the inwardly directed sharp cutting edges, as 6.

posing shoulders 10 and 11, which prevent the complete separation of the guide holder 7 from the body 1. Fastened to the holder 7 are the blade guides 12 whose upperends work in the lower ends of the aligned slots 3 and the upper free ends of these guides are inwardly beveled, as at 13, to correspond to the beveled lower end 5 of the corresponding blade 4. When the body 1 is lowered, relative to the holder 7 as hereinafter explained,

the beveled lower ends of tact against the beveled guides 12 and the blad the blades will conupper ends of the esA will thereby be forced inwardly and their cutting edges 6 held against the pipe 14,

to be cut.

There is a pin 15 projecting out from the edge of one of the fingers 8 and abutting the upper end of one of the fingers 9v which holds the body 1 against downward movement relative to the holder 7 while the cutter is being lowered into cutting relation with the pipe 14, but when the cutter is anchored onto the pipe to be cut as hereinafter explained this pin 15 may be sheared by forcing the-body 1 downtion with said guides 12.

During the cutting operation the lwardly to carry the cutter blades into coopercutter body 1 and guide holder 7 may be rotated,

from the ground surface ating string of pipe 2.

, through the oper- There is a tubular, non-rotatable housing 16 suspended from the guide holder 7. These parts are secured together by means of the surrounding band 17 having the marginal inwardly extending ribs 18, 18 which it into corresponding grooves 19, 19 in said guide holder and housing respectively and antifriction bearings 20 are interposed between the abutting ends of said holder and housing.

The lower end of the housing 16 carries a tubular guide shoe 21 whose upper end is screwed into the housing and this upper end forms a seat for a coil spring 22 which is fitted closely within the housing and in turn supports the tubular slip wedge 23 whose upper end is outwardly flared, as at 24. This wedge has a plurality of vertical slots, as 25, and within said wedge opposite said slots are the flexible pipe gripping members 26. The Vupper ends of .these gripping members are fastened to the wedge and they are inwardly curved and their other ends are free.

The housing 16 has the vertical slots 27 opposite the slots 25 and in those slots 27 are the lock springs 28. These springs 28 are retained in their respective slots by means of cross pins 29 whose ends are anchored to the housing 16 and which work through vertical bearings 30 in said lock springs. Said springs thus have a limited range of vertical movement relative to said housing.

The lower ends of `the lock springs ar thickened inwardly forming inside shoulders 31 which work in the opposing slots 25,

1 `and their upper'ends are also thickened inwardly forming inside shoulders 32 which engage over the upper end of the wedge 23 and above said shoulders 32said lock springs have outside shoulders 33 which engage against the upper .ends of the corresponding slots 27. Above the shoulders 33y said lock springs have the upward extensions 34 which engage the inside of the housing 16, all as shown in Figure 2. When assembled, as

` 'shown in Figure 2 these lock springs hold the wedge 23 against upward movement relative to the housing, and while in this position the device will be in inactive or non* pipe-cutting position.

Above the wedge 23 and within the housing, are the arcuate anchoring slips 35. The upper ends of these slips abut the inside shoulder 36, of said housing and said upper ends of said slips are connected to said housing in any desired manner preferably by means of set screws 37 which are fitted loosely through radial bearings 38 in said housing and screwed into said slips. The lower ends of said slips swing free and within the lower ends of the slips there is an expansion ring 39 which normally holds said free ends in outward position.

n operation the tool, assembled as shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3 is let down into the bore and is guided over the upper end of the stuck pipe 14 by means of the guide shoe 21. During this downward movement the gripping members will pass downwardly in frictional contact with the pipe 14 and will yield outwardly to permit the tool to pass over the collars, as 40, which connect the sections of the pipe 14. During this movement the pin 15 will hold the body 1 and the guide holder 12 against relative movement and so will prevent the blade 4 from being forced inwardly against the pipe to be cut.

lhen the point has been reached where it is desired to make a cut an upward pull is exerted through the operating string 2 and this will move the body 1, the holder 7, the housing 16 and the guide shoe 21, upwardly, but the gripping members 26 will grip the pipe 14 and hold the wedge 23 stationary thus placing the spring 22 under compression. The lock springs 28 will, for a time, be held stationary, with respect to the housing 16, by the tension of the extensions 34 against said housing, but as these springs move upwardly, relative to the wedge 23 the shoulders3-1 will engage the upper ends of the slots 25 and stop the upward movement of the springs 28 and as the housing continues its upward movement the extensions 34 will be released from the housing and the upper ends of said lock springs will spring out into the upper ends of the slots 27 thus carrying the shoulders 32 out beyond, and clear of, the upper end of the wedge 23. The entire device is then lowered, the wedge 23 being held stationary on the pipe 14 by the gripping members 26 and the slips 36 moving downwardly with the housing. The upper end of the wedge 23 will `now wedge around the lower ends of said slips and force them inwardly against the pipe 14, and when a collar, as 40, is reached the lower ends ofV said slips will seat against the upper end of said collar .and they will support the entire' tool on the pipe 14, as shown in Figure 8. During the above described operation the spring 22 acts as a cushion to prevent breakage of parts. The operating string 2 may now be forced downwardly to shear the pin 15 and this will permit the body 1 to move downwardly relative to the guide holder 2 and the lower ends of the blades 4 will come into contact with, and be forced inwardly by, the inwardly sloping faces 13, of the guides 12. The cutting edges 6 will thusbe held against the pipe to be cut, as shown in Figure 7, and the bodyfl and guide holder 12 may then be turned, `through the Vstring 2, and the pipe 14 thus severed.

When the cut has been made the tool may then be withdrawn and the severed section of the pipe 14 then removed from the bore.

Vhile I have shown and described what I now consider the preferred form of the invention it is obvious that mechanical changes may be made therein and equivalents substituted for the parts shown without departing from the principle of the invention and I hereby reserve the right to make such mechanical changes, adaptations and substitutions, as may be found practical or desirable so long as I do not depart from the principle of the invention, as comprehended Within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is: 1. A pipe cutter including a tubular body, a tubular guide holder having a slip joint connection with said body, al cutter blade carried by said body, a blade guide carried by the holder, a tubular housing having a swiveling connection with and depending from the holder, supporting slips in the housing adapted to engage a collar of the pipe to be. cut, means normally holding said slips out of such engaging relation, actuating means in the housing engageable with said slips' and eifective toforce the slips into position to engage said collar and support said cutter thereon and releasable means carried by the ho-us ing and engageable With said actuating means and housing and effective to lock said actuating means in inactive relation Tvith said slips. 2. A pipe cutter including a tubular body, a tubular guide holder, means connecting said body and holder, said means permitting a limited lengthwise movement of the body and holder relative tofe'ach other, a. cutting element inthe body movable into and out off cuttingrelation With the pipe tobe cut, a guide carried by said holder effective to force )he cutting element into cutting relation with the pipe When the holder is moved into one position relative to the body and to release said cutting element to permit it to move out of such cutting relation, when the holder is moved into another position relative to the body, a tubular housing having a sWiveling connection With and depending from the holder, means in the housing adapted to engage the pipe to be cut and to sustain the cutter thereon, means normally holding said sustaining means in non-engaging relation with the pipe, actuating means movable into active relation With said sustaining means and effective to actuate said sustaining means into engaging relation With the pipe, and releasable means normally engaging With said actua-ting means and said housing and locking said actuating means in inactive position relative to said sustaining means.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this speciiication.

WALTER L. CHURCH. 

